Speaker Eves: Why I will always fight for life-saving health care

Sunday

Mar 2, 2014 at 3:15 AM

By Speaker of the House Mark EvesD-North Berwick, Maine

It’s hard to imagine being a veteran in this country and not being able to afford health care. For Tom Ptacek, a U.S. Navy veteran, who now works and lives in Portland, that became a reality this winter. Unfortunately, 2,700 veterans like Tom and tens of thousands of other Mainers have no health care.

Last year, Governor LePage and a majority of Republican lawmakers turned down an unprecedented deal from the federal government to fully fund health care coverage for tens of thousands of Mainers, like Tom.

As a health care professional, I have seen firsthand how important it is for Maine families to have access to family a doctor. I’ve seen firsthand how lack of health care can tear families apart and lead families to financial ruin.

My advocacy for health care has always been motivated by the people whose lives will change because they will be able to see a doctor for the first time or get life-saving care. That’s why I have championed legislation, LD 1578, to help 70,000 Mainers, including nearly 3,000 veterans, get health care.

My father and mother — a military pastor and a school teacher — always taught me and my siblings, to stand up for our neighbors, to stand up for our community, and to stand up for people in need. Those are the values that guide me today in the State Legislature, as I work to broker a compromise that will bring Republicans, Democrats, and Independents together to support federally funded health care for our citizens.

In recent weeks, opponents of our compromise proposal have resorted to desperate attacks on my ethics, alleging that I will see personal financial gain from more Mainers getting health care because I work for a behavioral health organization when the Legislature is not in session.

Earlier this week one of those opponents of health care, Republican Rep. Larry Lockman of Amherst, published a column in this newspaper, “The ethics problem for Maine’s Speaker of the House. (Feb. 23).” The Maine State Ethics Commission has clearly stated that there is no conflict.

In an opinion letter to me dated Feb. 25, Ethics Commission Director Jonathan Wayne wrote “Applying the Legislature’s own standards, it is the opinion of Ethics Commission staff that your past and ongoing support of LD 1578 in the 126th Legislature is not a conflict of interest because of the broad effect of the proposed legislation on health care providers in Maine generally and the lack of any personal benefit to you.”

It’s unfortunate that Rep. Lockman has resorted to unfounded personal attacks. Maine has a citizen legislature, where farmers, teachers, small business owners and doctors serve their neighbors. We are fortunate to have experts — not career politicians — advocating for us. The kind of personal attacks launched by Rep. Lockman, alleging unfounded conflict, are wrong.

As Speaker of the Maine House, I urge lawmakers to debate the merits of the issues not launch desperate or unfounded personal attacks on your opponent’s ethics. We see enough of that in Washington.

Health care expansion in Maine brings tremendous health and economic advantages to our people and our economy. Each day that passes, Maine loses out on $1 million dollars in economic investment in federal dollars. And, each day, lives are on the line.

While our neighbors in New England and other states around the country are reaping the benefits of those federal dollars, the people of Maine are losing out.

Like so many of you that I represent, I believe health care is a right not a privilege. No family should go bankrupt because of mounting medical bills. I hope you will stand with me in the fight for health care.

From the author: Speaker Eves has represented the town of North Berwick in the State Legislature since 2008. Prior to being elected unanimously as Speaker of the House in 2012, he served as the ranking minority member of the State’s Health and Human Services Committee. By training, he is marriage and family therapist and works for Sweetser when the Legislature is not in session.

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